Ginger Mint

hi hi Even though she didn't really think of herself as bouncy, Ember Spark couldn't help but smile at Pocket Change's compliment. She almost tried testing out her newly defined super power by seeing how high she could bounce, but she didn't get much farther than flexing her hind legs before she remembered she was standing still for several good reasons, not wanting to tip over being just one of them. His comment about how he would provide step by step instructions, however, got her thinking. Suddenly everything seemed strikingly familiar. "You know, now that you mention it..." she said, licking her lips which suddenly felt dry, "If someone had a plan, writing it down would be the sensible course of action. But suppose they didn't know how to do it? Perhaps it is something like an order. I frequently receive orders from ponies who don't even know what they want, they simply know that they want it. If that is the case, I predict that this might take an honest effort to get right." At least Pocket Change's suggestion seemed reasonable enough, "Oh, sticking together is an excellent idea, extenuating circumstances notwithstanding. By sharing our comparative advantages, we can maximize the returns on our opportunity investments." Ember Spark might have realized she was starting to ramble if she had kept going, but when Emerath spoke up, she made a conscious effort to pay attention. She leaned forward until her hind legs actually lifted up off the ground, eliciting a startled, but muffled *Eep!* before she regained her balance back on all fours. No matter how hard she tried though, she was just too far away to read Emerath's notes. Oh, if only I hadn't given that spyglass back, I could read. Note to self: 'find spot for spyglass in toolbelt.' "Oooh! What if the prophecy thing is being literal? Better check to make sure that spyglass doesn't have a name when I get back onboard the Polar Star." While the magnitude of the idea was too great to be conveyed by internal monologue, Ember Spark was at least able to keep her random exclamation down to an indoor volume. She listened half heartedly to Katabat and Cleverboots, all the while her mind was working overtime trying to recall which things onboard the Polar Star had names, and what names she would give the things that didn't. Hmm...would Wet Whistle be a good name for the primary blast pipe? Or maybe Chim Chimney... When Batleby opened up his next book, Ember Spark couldn't help but throw in a quick quip to Pocket Change, "Ooh, look. They did include pictures." It had been a very long time since Ember Spark had felt afraid of narrow, dark places. Being a little on the small side, even for ponies, she was able to squeeze into tight spots that others couldn't reach. It was a trait she was used to taking advantage of, so it was with some degree of reason that she didn't hesitate to respond. The idea of not going didn't even cross her mind. "Oooh, this is going to be way better than salted peanuts."

hi hi Upon entering the library, Ember Spark's attention was immediately fixed upon the strange, mirrored contraption and she split away from the group to go take a closer look. Sticking her head into the opening as far as she could stretch, she marveled at the chamber's clever geometry. "Oooh, advective~ective~tive~ve!" her voice echoed down the length of the pipe and back again, which in turn only increased her excitement. This is definitely no simple exhaust chimney, oooh, I've got to take a look at the smoke separation fixture. And the acoustics, hey! I wonder if there's anygriffin on the other end. Ember Spark was just about to try calling down to the bottom of the shaft to see if she could get a response when Pocket Change beat her to the punch with an exclamation of his own. Having been completely unaware of what was going on around her up until that moment, she froze in place with her head twisted around behind her, managing to look a little bit like a little filly who'd been caught with her hoof in the cookie jar. When she noticed that everyone was gathered around a huge, timeworn scroll, she cautiously righted herself back out of the fireplace and walked on over. Bartleby was ready to pounce in an instant, blocking her path with one outstretched arm, a pair of hoof gloves and a grave stare. Ember Spark politely grabbed them in her mouth and tried putting them on, though with two of them in her mouth at the same time it was a little tricky. She ended up dropping one and having to crouch down to pick it back up again. Then she tried using her free hoof to hold the glove steady, which just resulted in her performing a little hopping dance as she tried to pull the glove on before her hoof touched back down again. By the time she got the first glove on, they had been so thoroughly handled that they were both covered in soot from her prior work and what was left of her meal, ultimately defeating the purpose. Carefully, she slipped the remaining glove under her toolbelt and managed a polite, "Thank you," before snapping her hooves in place on the ground and puffing herself with as serious a look as she could muster. Not moving another step closer, she leaned forward until she was almost in danger of falling over to take a look at the text. "Now this... is something I have never seen before." she murmured to no one in particular, while she tried to process what she was seeing. "What do you suppose it means by 'Properly handle your trust?' That sounds important." She listened to Emerath and Katabat talking about prophecies and coincidence, and she felt an intangible weight on her heart that told her something about the passage was important. But even after reading the translated text, she wasn't sure if she believed it was an auspicious prophecy, about herself specifically no less. Surely, she thought, with a volume of text as vast as this, there was bound to be something that applied to our situation. Once again, to no one in particular, she pondered out loud, "Hmm... maybe its a riddle?" Then she turned to address Pocket Change, "Oh! Can I be the fulcrum? No, no, wait, I'll be the spy glass so I can learn more about time. Wait, no, I take that back."

hi hi Sorry about the short post. I would have normally waited until Trilobite posted, but I wanted to get something out there before entering my usual Thursday/Friday freetime free zone.

hi hi Ember Spark nodded sagely as Emerath talked, and after saying more than a couple of sentences, Ember Spark reached into her tool belt and pulled out a pad of paper. It was an awkward little trot she had to make on only three legs, and her penponyship was atrocious, but she was determined to take down notes on what Emerath was saying. And just as difficult as it was to walk holding a pencil and a pad of paper, it was equally so for an Earth Pony to talk while holding a writing implement as well. "Inferesfing... stho ousthide of the sthpethific thiming, thereths a theneral thimeframe basthed on the persthepthion of otherths?" When Pocket Change walked up to them, trying to get them to hurry along, she responded by returning her attention to her pad of paper and writing down other notes in the margins. Emerath's little outburst immortalized in a hoofnote. Increased sample size indicates that there may be additional schools of thought on the subject of relative arrival positioning in time and space. Make sure to cross reference this and observe in further detail. Research subject displays some uncertainty. Only after Ember Spark had finished her notes and returned her writing tools to their rightful homes on her belt, and after taking a long hard look at Captain Cleverboots did she turn her attention to Pocket Change. Casting a glance towards the excited unicorn, she pondered aloud. "I wonder just how much reading we will be allowed. I enjoy a good book as much as anypony, but if our gracious host's feast is any indication, there will undoubtedly be a significant volume of text to read. And, while this is just a hypothesis, I suspect that Cleverboots does not intend to stay put much longer than necessary. Does the promise of discovery not propel her, and by extension us as well, forward? As Emerath just pointed out, once the pony we are following knows where she is going, will we not be going when and where ever she deems to take us?"

hi hi Ember Spark raised an eyebrow as she tried to figure out just what it was that Pocket Change was talking about. Sleeping in a cardboard box? Why, making a cardboard box fort was certainly fun once upon a time... Ember Spark gave him a playful little shove with one hoof and smiled, "What, you've never slept in a cardboard box before? You're really missing out, they're a great way to hide from chores and are totally impervious to the monsters that live under your bed." She tapped the tip of her nose with her forehoof just to be sure the befuddled unicorn knew she was joking, "Seriously though, I didn't mean to imply us specifically, and you don't strike me as a delivery pony. If you were inclined to delivering mail though, I meant a lighter ship, not necessarily a smaller one. We must have half a lifetime's worth of supplies and specialized surveying equipment aboard, and hypothetically speaking, if our destination had been Stormfast, we could have thrown out most of that junk and she'd be much shallower on the draft, no?" When Queen Katabat offered a toast, Ember Spark followed suite and downed her own goblet as fast as possible, though being a much smaller creature, she wasn't able to do so in a single gulp. She had no idea what it was she just drank, she wasn't really even sure how to describe what it tasted like. She just knew she was already way too full and that it probably would have tasted better if that hadn't been the case. The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach didn't stop her from getting up and slipping into the crowd once everyone started dancing. Not knowing the lyrics to the music didn't stop her from singing along, though with the volume in the room, hardly anyone would have been able to tell. Likewise, not knowing the dance moves didn't stop her from picking out a griffin at random and pulling them into the dance. She just improvised a Fox Trot with a bit of Quickstep thrown into the mix, taking advantage of her lighter frame for some fancy hoofwork. Not that her hoofwork was particularly fancy by anypony's standards, but it was an improvised dance, and no griffin would have known any better anyway. While she was leading her partner around in a spin, she couldn't help but notice the rest of her party getting up and making their way towards the exit. With a merry laugh, she slowed to a stop and bowed, "For the dance, my thanks you have. But to run I am required." Ember Spark had a spring or three in her step as she joined in with the procession to the library, cheering Salt Spray on as she walked past the poor deckhoof who was being twirled around by the hooves. "Way to go Salt Spray, show them how its done!" The group of ponies and griffins made their way out of the feast hall, though the atmosphere of merriment reverberated through the massive doors, echoed down the stone hallways, and was carried along by Ember Spark's jaunty humming. When she noticed Emerath following behind the group again, she subtly slowed her pace until she had brought herself up along side the unicorn. She knew he was good at timing, and a little bit of sweat formed on her brow as she endeavored to get the timing just perfect. Waiting for the moment when it seemed like Emerath wasn't paying attention, to speak up she said, "Heya! I could not help but observe you aiming for a subsequent entrance again and I'm curious if the thought I requested that you put on hold is still there. If not, I understand. I wouldn't want to press you into a particularly problematic position. But if you do happen to have any advice on how to arrive at the proper moment, even when you don't know the route to your destination, I would be much obliged." Before Emerath could even consider responding though, Ember Spark lowered her voice and leaned closer, "Or are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

hi hi These things happen, don't sweat it too much Emerath. On the plus side, if the Elements of Harmony ever get brought up again, Ember Spark is going to have the excellent opportunity to try to keep them a secret for no good reason. As for Ember Spark, while she does have some things that are exceptionally interesting to her such as the subject she is currently studying, timekeeping at the moment, as well as friendship and magic, she will often times be more interested in talking with someone rather than talking about any specific subject. To be honest, up until perhaps just this last post, Katabat hasn't really distinguished herself from any other griffin in Ember Spark's eyes. Ember Spark would probably be more keen on talking to the Griffins that helped her tie the ship down rather than listening to all this boring stuff about ancient evils or whatever. When she told Emerath to hold that thought and she ran off to talk to Gale about Luna, that was a very difficult decision for me to make, because it was really pushing the boundaries of out-of-character for her. In the end, though, I just couldn't let the opportunity pass by, and she does like making ponies and griffins smile a whole lot. So being able to tell someone that Luna was back was kind of like saying "You've just won the lottery," for her. Also: Yay! Post complete. You can bet that, even if something else catches Ember Spark's attention, she has made a mental note to revisit the subject again later. Also, also: Don't forget that studying Emerath's special talent is the entire reason why Ember Spark came along on this expedition. When in doubt, her default course of action is going to be "see what Emerath is doing."

hi hi No worries, Ember Spark will just have to learn to be more persistent. (Normally I would have made Ember Spark poke, shake, prod or otherwise bonk Emerath to get his attention, but you said she wasn't paying attention anymore, so I tried to roll with it.) Speaking of which, Praise Celestia, I'm feelin' the spirit! That may have been the hardest post I've had to make so far, and I apologize if its a little bit of a bumpy ride. Its hard to keep Ember Spark's spirits down for long though.

hi hi Ember Spark quickly shoved a tart into her mouth in an effort to mask her expression, because for a moment her mood had turned as sour as the cherry filling she was eating. Of course, there was plenty of sugar added to the mix too, so the overall effect good. It was perhaps coincidence that by the time she finished chewing, everything made sense again. Its a secret! Of course. Its no wonder Emerath isn't saying anything. And Pocket Change... he's deftly driving the discourse in different directions. Well burn my boiler, I'd better be careful not to ruin a surprise for anyone. Unlike Emerath though, Ember Spark was not an actor. And while she might have passed as a stagehoof, she tended to lack subtlety. She was instead a driving hammer. She could tell a story, and on occasion even sing a song, but pretending not to know something she didn't actually know was beyond her ability to perform. And so while badly feigned, it was with no amount of subtlety that she tried to avoid the topic. "SooOOooo..." she started out in an attempt at nonchalance, "Great distances your flight must travel, when the fallen strongholds you patrol. Thankfully, Ember Spark quickly found herself becoming genuinely interested in the conversation again. "Much there is about the route to us you could teach. A pity it is, that none yet have been reclaimed, and that with no others your tales can be shared." The gears in her head were turning and she started to pick up steam. Standing up on all fours and holding her head up tall, which was not considerably tall compared to her pony companions, let alone the gracious griffins. "Letters and news at least, to exchange someone ought. After all, a little hardship isn't friendship worth? If for nothing else than the food you bake, some ship there must be that would berth make. Perhaps, when finished our task is, back with us some correspondence we could take?" With a fire still burning in Ember Spark's eye, she plopped her rump back down and leaned over to Pocket Change, whispering not too softly. "Well, I think it'd be worthwhile... Besides, for a three week journey, a lighter ship could stay on top of those hailstorms much easier than the Polar Star."

hi hi You're gonna to leave Ember hangin', just like that? Well, I guess Ember Spark can learn super relevant information about friendship and magic some other day. I'll just have to find something else to keep her busy for a while until Gale either comes back or she has to go off and find her.

hi hi Oh hey, its a thing that exists again. I was rather bummed that the other thing disappeared without a trace. Here's some pony art that I've really enjoyed lately: Also, just about everything I've ever seen by Equestria Prevails, Egophiliac, Holivi

hi hi The Elements of Harmony... I know I've heard of those somewhere before. Ember Spark had nodded politely and settled into a spot at the table near Emerath and Pocket Change, at the Queen's insistence, or at least she assumed the old Griffin in resplendent dress was the queen, even though she didn't remember that she had ever introducing herself. Her mind was too busy mulling over what Emerath had said to consider whether or not she was properly addressing the proper griffin. Still, the griffin spoke with authority and kindness, and the food did smell good. The parts of the feast that were not made out of meat anyway. Even though she had recently eaten lunch, Ember Spark didn't want to insult anygriffin, and there were plenty of dishes spread out in front of her that she couldn't remember ever trying before. Leaving a dish un-sampled simply would not do. The butter cooked carrots were excellent, though not terribly unusual. The pickled pears were quite a treat. She decided to hold off on the raspberry and blueberry tarts until desert, though they looked and smelled incredibly tempting. Instead she found that her favorite part of the meal was the warm oat bread with a peculiar kind of hard cheese she couldn't quite identify, dipped in an onion flavored broth that was both sweet and savory. She made a mental note to try to find a recipe book before they left, and she also made a note of how odd it seemed that Commander Gale wasn't present for the feast. In her heart, it just didn't seem right for the griffin who invited them to eat to not have a chance to partake or get a chance to talk, and Ember Spark did have things she wanted to talk about. However, the thought that remained foremost on her mind was what Emerath had said earlier, and once she had eaten enough to not appear ungrateful, she leaned over to ask him about it. "So, Emerath. What did you mean when you declared that the Elements of Harmony defeated Nightmare Moon? I haven't heard anything substantial about that night, only unverified rumors. I know they exist. When I was studying in Canterlot, I think I read a little bit about them. They were jewels or rocks or something that the Princesses found? Oh, and I think there was one study that suggested there are so many different kinds of magic related to them that most scholars tend to take them for granted. I think, um... Lets see, what were they again? Kindness and Honesty and... Light? no, thats not correct... something about good humor perhaps?" Ember Spark was certain she'd be able to remember if she wasn't so tired, but curiosity wasn't about to wait for sleep in order to find out more. Giving Emerath a chance to respond, Ember Spark paused to take a drink of a sweet honey flavored drink.

hi hi Very little in Equestria happens by accident or by chance it seems. The plants don't grow on their own, the clouds don't move on their own, and the animals don't take care of themselves. Even animals as simple as a monarch butterfly, a wasp or an owl have a degree of intelligence that approaches or surpasses sapience. They can comprehend advanced concepts such as friendship and loyalty. While the donor card bit was an attempt at humor, I was absolutely serious when I mentioned fish volunteering to become food after they died, because there is no moral justification for killing intelligent beings under those circumstances. In the short term, if you have no alternative, it can be a Plank of Carneades situation, but in the long term, to refuse to find an alternative solution would be tantamount to murder. They keep a census of every new baby bunny born, and so it stands to reason that they also keep track of every old bunny that passes away, if their census is to be accurate. They may do things differently in the world outside Equestria's borders, and ponies certainly understand the concepts of predation, but I cannot imagine that is how they roll. (Also: If the animal is well taken care of, it will still be tasty when it is older, besides, predators often go for the old and sick anyway.) Additional additional: In cold climates, root vegetables are common. Carrots, rutabaga, radishes, onions, turnips, beets, and potatoes. Cold climate greens include things like kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and peas. Berries of all sorts are good choices, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries. As for grains, barley, rye and oats were common cold weather grains. (wheat, not so much.) For fruits, there are some varieties of apples and pears that are hardy enough to grow in cold climates (Flemish Beauty, Luscious, Parker and Patten) and while Sweet Cherries usually prefer warmer climates, there are a few sour cherries that do well in cold climates, and a few different types of plums.

hi hi I think the simple answer is that genetics is a lot more complicated than what is covered in highschool, and there's really no indication that any one pony phenotype is dominant or recessive over another. (and some positive reason to believe that this is not the case, in the case of ponies like Fluttershy who is a pegasus with some earth pony like traits.) If you look at the platypus for example, they have ten sex determining chromosomes, of both XY and ZW equivalents. Ponies, could have eight XYZ (EPU) phenotype determining chromosomes, for starters. (in which case, only by having a genetic defect, missing a chromosome completely, could you end up without a dominant trait, as the princesses seem to display.) There could be epigenetic factors which determine phenotype, such as methylated histones from the parents, though those usually fade over a few generations.

hi hi That may be true, but they'll think twice about picking off poor little fishes when they come face to face with the unified fish armada, under the command of admiral anchovy. Griffins know better than to break the peace treaty. No griffin wants to live in fear of their own indoor plumbing, wondering if they'll be next when the ultramarine aquatic commandos launch a raid up through the kitchen sink.

hi hi Well, how else are they going to get food for all the carnivores? If I was a little fish, I'd be happy to know that at the end of my days, I could keep a griffin from going hungry. Also: Hopefully Ember Spark doesn't find herself moving her little rump into the dungeon. Speaking of which, if anypony wants to pull Ember Spark's flank out of the fire, feel free to lend a hoof any time.

hi hi Now it was Ember Spark's turn to be confused about strange questions. She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped herself. Katabat had asked her to consider her own words, and so she figured it would be rude not to. However, it was the Queen's words that she found herself considering at length. She was pretty sure the elderly griffin hadn't just accused her of being a liar, though the griffins were all just a little bit different, so she wasn't entirely positive. A memory from her youth came to mind. Once upon a time, though briefly, she had been afraid of the dark. Or more precisely, afraid that one of her griffin friends would sneak up on her and pounce from the shadows. On a trip to the bakery for some cookies, her grandmother noticed her shying away from the alleyways and overhangs. --- 'Oh, don't you worry your pretty little head about that,' She had said, once she found out what was wrong, 'All of that is play for young griffins, they're not trying to be mean. Why, I'm certain they do that to each other too, and they're probably wondering why you've never gotten the drop on them.' 'But how come aren't griffins afraid of the dark?' She recalled saying, thinking it terribly unfair. Her grandmother just smiled and patted her on the head, 'There there, even griffins get afraid of what can't be seen, but its all in your point of view. When you go into the alleyway, the big scary thing hiding in the dark is you.' --- Later, after her first successful pounce on her griffin friend, she found that many of the scary, unfamiliar places had lost their menace. Seeing things from a different point of view became an exciting game, and it got her into plenty of trouble when she would sneak into places she wasn't supposed to go. So there she stood, having considered her words for a moment. She still wasn't sure what was going on though, and the notion that Luna's return might have been ill news never even crossed her mind. "Apologize I must, if offense my words provoked. The darkness that blinds I know, an ally it can be, and to judge I would not presume. But some shadows on the heart and mind there are cast, that even brave ponies, in refuge should not hide. Her way from these places, our Princess has uncovered." Something in the old griffin's icy gaze blew a gust of wind across the fire in her heart, and for a moment it flickered. She wondered if perhaps she was on the wrong track, and without any proper consideration whatsoever, she added, "But, if my word you can not believe, to the sky look when next the moon rises. For yourself see, where the Mare in the Moon is."

hi hi I must apologize Emerath, I didn't want to cut our little conversation short, but I just couldn't let that opening go. Opportunities for that kind of earth shattering awesomeness and/or faux pas don't come often.

hi hi To what? To where? Good Question... Ember Spark looked straight up at the vaulted ceiling as though it might contain the answer to Emerath's riddle. With no solution forthcoming, however, Ember Spark turned back to Emerath with a sheepish look on her face. "I'm not entirely certain as to our destination, now that you mention it. Commander Gale did allude to preparations for a feasting hall, but it is also entirely possible that we might be traveling to a waiting room or some other form of intermediary chamber until the preparations are completed. Does it make a difference, with timing I mean, what sort of place you... Oooh, how do you arrive at the proper time when you don't know where you're going? That must require a great deal of talent. Ember Spark hadn't really caught on to the fact that Emerath had been distracted earlier and so she might not have been correct about the nature of his confusion. She was just waiting expectantly for the confused unicorn to respond, and contemplating asking the guard behind her just exactly where they were going, but something from up at the front of the herd made her ear twitch and twist around to get better reception. ...Lost Sister? Could she mean Princess Luna? The invisible lightbulb floating above Ember Spark's head blinked on and she made a little happy squeak. "Hold that thought Emerath," she put a hoof to her lips and pantomimed the sort of pose a librarian might make when a little filly is being too noisy, an expression she was very familiar with. However, when nopony else seemed to pick up on the turn of phrase, Ember Spark literally jumped at the chance to be the bearer of good news. With a hop, skip and a jump, she bounded up to the head of the group as fast as her little hooves could carry her. She had at least enough tact not to barge on ahead of the Griffins, instead she pranced up alongside Cleverboots and leaned over as far as she could. "Ooh! Good news for you, I have. Luna, Princess of the Night, sister of Celestia who Princess of the Sun you know, is lost no longer. In years not long past, returned she did. From the darkness that, in all directions besets and to danger blinds, was she freed; to the darkness that, for the weary soothes and gentle dreams provides, once again she governs." She remembered how astounded she'd been when she first heard the news of Luna's return, or Luna's existence in the first place for that matter. What pony had even heard of Nightmare Moon before, outside of the occasional nursery rhyme? These griffins seemed to know something though, and Ember Spark waited to see their reaction like a little filly waiting for the cupcakes to come out of the oven.

hi hi Ember Spark probably knows quite a bit about griffins in Equestria anyway, probably had some as friends growing up. The problem is, nobody asked her. It was always my intention to channel just a little bit of Pinkie Pie with Ember Spark, but seeing as how she's been up for a very long time, she's going to be a little bit extra random. At least until she starts getting to know everypony a little bit better. Also: That is a super cute picture. (the pose reminds me a lot of Brianblackberry's art, though I guess the heads look like their own unique style. )

hi hi Ember Spark knew the captain had told her to follow along, but the little group of ponies gathered on the foredeck were talking about something, and she just had to make sure it wasn't something important first. Land of Storms, uhuh... Dangerous sleeping something or another, check... Ooh, food! Food is good, I know we've got to have something they'll like. Maybe salted peanuts or maybe barbecued beans will be a... fish? Nasty fish? Her train of thought was squeaking to a halt while Pocket Change's pegasus pal moved on to talk about the weather. She couldn't help but interject, sounding the teensiest little bit hurt. "Hey! Food fish aren't nasty, why, they're positively generous. Equestria could undoubtedly benefit from additional charitable critters the likes of that." The edge in her voice didn't take long to fade away though, and by the end of her little speech, she had one hoof resting reassuringly on Skies' shoulder, "Now, the temperature here might be several degrees below tropical, but consider for a moment the difficulties involved in getting a little fish to sign a donor card. Now that... is a challenge. Or at least, I surmise it would be. I haven't ever worked as an animal caretaker myself." Ember Spark did feel a twinge of remorse for being so curt with the poor pegasus who was obviously already not enjoying himself, but at the same time, she had been awake for a long while and was beginning to get a little bit punchy. She might have even stayed around for an actual apology, but it was right about that moment that she realized Captain Cleverboots was already about to disembark, so she had to settle for a simple "Oh, sorry..." before she scrambled off across the mist frozen deck. She certainly didn't want to miss out on any of the undoubtedly interesting stuff Captain Cleverboots and Commander Gale would be talking about. She smiled as she passed by the statuesque guards at the massive entryway and was comforted by the fact that they had a little bit more mirth in their expressions than the guards at Canterlot did. A little bit. Just for a moment, anyway. They weren't saying anything though, in fact, nobody was saying much of anything. The sound of hoofsteps clip-clopping upon stone echoed against the far wall before being swallowed up by the howling wind outside. If the clouds had been listening, the grand chamber might have made for an impressive concert hall. Without anyone to listen to, she felt her mind starting to wander. The intricate engravings in the floor and on the pillars must have required a great deal of effort, but if there was any meaning to be found hidden in their esoteric imagery, it was lost on Ember Spark. She was just about to try striking up a conversation with one of the griffin guards when she noticed a spot of lichen. It was growing in a little crevice in the stone, near the gently curving spiral staircase they were about to start climbing up. She craned her neck to get a closer look while her hooves unconsciously kept moving forward. "Oh, hello little friends. Getting along well I see? Thats great, I..." She interrupted herself when she couldn't bend her neck any farther and had to stop walking, "Ooh, I gotta go. Take care!" She didn't, however, try to catch back up to the front of the group. Being turned around as she was, she couldn't help but see Emerath falling behind. When waving her hoof for the unicorn to hurry up didn't produce any results, she non-chalantly trotted back and fell in alongside before putting on her "getting down to business face." "So..." she whispered, in an actual whispering tone this time, though it still echoed off the stone walls magnificently, "What do you think? Is a subsequent entrance better timing?"

hi hi Just a little tidbit of nature knowledge to share. I did a little looking up for omnivorous birds, particularly omnivorous birds that live in northern climates. Not saying there's any relation, but who knows. The Black-capped Chickadee while small, is an omnivorous bird that can survive cold temperatures and has white and black markings. But they're even more interesting than that. They have very complex calls, one of which is a very specific warning of danger. You can actually determine how big they think a given threat is by how long they extend the warning call. They also are capable of going into a form of torpor, where their body temperature plummets in order to survive cold temperatures. Pretty neat, huh? The Dark-eyed Junco is a little sparrow that hangs out in northern climates. They come in lots of different shades of grey and white, an amount of variety that is supposedly perplexing to those who study them. During the winter, they form flocks and will sometimes even flock together with different species of birds (like chickadees, sparrows and nuthatches.) And they tend to form distinctive hierarchies while flocking together, and will sometimes stake out a bird feeder for their group. (Of course, eagles and owls are strictly carnivores in real life, but hey, its magic. ) Also: Working on my post now.

hi hi I feel for ya Riverhippo, I feel for ya. Gettin' first place ain't easy, but I'm pullin' for ya. If anypony ought to get a first place ribbon sometime, its Applejack. I've won first place exactly once in my entire life, back in 3rd grade track and field. In spite of all my efforts, the best I can usually muster is honorable mention. In contrast to that, second place is a step up.

hi hi I suspect that Dragons would win out over Discord. Discord wasn't able to mess with Spike after all, and he's just a baby dragon.

hi hi Sorry to make you wait, Thursday and Friday are a regular thing for me, but I will do my best to post on Wednesday and Saturday at the very least. Also, sorry I didn't have more to say, I have a feeling that the next post might be a bit more substantial though. If Ember Spark sees an opening, she might just go and show off how little tact she really has.

hi hi Genius. Emerath had called her a genius. It wasn't simply flattery either, as far as she could tell, he had been entirely sincere, and for a moment she felt like her smile might grow too big for he face to hold. She was even about to pump a forehoof in midair when she stepped through the doorway and onto the icy deck. Walking on ice with only three hooves, it turned out, was even harder than walking on ice normally. With a barely audible squeak, she disappeared through the doorway and slid all the way across the deck until she slammed into the bulwark. Whoa, I guess I should be more careful. If the clouds had been more tumultuous, I could have stumbled overboard... Her moment of introspection didn't last long though, because as soon as she had shaken the stars out from in front of her eyes, she noticed the mooring lines dangling right in front of her face. "Ooh! Just what I was looking for. Can somepony give me a hoof with these?" Slipping her goggles back over her eyes, she tied herself back up to the safety line and got right to work directing a few deck-hooves to their places. She had intended to fly a pegasus all away around the tower in a big loop, but when the griffins started catching and tying off knots onto the tower itself, she steadied herself and waved a hoof in thanks. She even managed to keep from slipping and falling that time. Ember Spark briefly considered climbing across the ropes to go thank the griffins in person, but she noticed Pocket Change was already talking to a group of them over on the foredeck. After a quick hoofbump and a "Thank you," to one of the sailors who had helped her secure the ship, she casually walked over to where Emerath was watching Gale and Pocket Change converse. She leaned over conspiratorially and whispered, "Ooh, I think that crown means she's a princess, what do you think?" completely unaware of what had already been discussed, and since she was trying to whisper over the wind, it was really less of a whisper and more of a shout that anyone with two ears was likely to hear. Genius.